Sinking of Turkish Ship May Halt Refugee Transportation; Two Other Refugee Ships Arrive

August 9, 1944

ANKARA (Aug. 8)

The sinking of the 200-ton Turkish motor ship Mefcure in which more than 250 Jewish refugees perished in the waters of the Black Sen on their way from the Rumanian port of Constanza to Turkey, may mean the end of further transportation of refugees aboard Turkish ships, it was stated here today.

The break of diplomatic relations between Turkey and German was followed by an order directing all Turkish ships home from foreign ports. There is no indication that this order will be relaxed, especially after the loss of the Mefcure.

Meanwhile two other Turkish ships carrying 815 Jewish refugees arrived safely today from Rumania at the Igneads harbor. One of these ships is the Bulbul carrying 500 Jews, and the other is the Morina with 315 Jewish passengers.

It was ascertained here today that the majority of the refugees who lost their lives yesterday on the Mefcure were Polish and Rumanian Jews. Only five of the refugees and six members of the crew survived. Since they are confined to a military zone, inaccessible to correspondents, details of the attack of the ship are lacking.

According to information available here, the Measure was sunk by shell-fire seven miles off the Turkey-Bulgar border. (In London, the British news agency Reuter reported today that the Mefcure was torpedoed by an unidentified submarine and that 277 Jewish refugees perished when the ship went down.)